Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus (Penn State)
Public four-year university in University Park, PA that costs an average of $33,675 a year after financial aid, admits 61% of applicants and graduates 85% of full-time students.
Net price / year
$33,675
Acceptance rate
61%
Graduation rate
85%
Earnings after 10 yrs
$71,762
PublicSmall city42,284 undergraduates
Cost of Penn State
| Total cost of attendance (per year) | $41,003 |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $21,098 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $43,490 |
| Housing and food (on campus) | $15,346 |
| Books and supplies | $1,200 |
| Average net price after aid | $33,675 |
Net price by family income
| Family income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0–30,000 | $22,193 |
| $30,001–48,000 | $21,267 |
| $48,001–75,000 | $25,458 |
| $75,001–110,000 | $31,948 |
| $110,001+ | $39,140 |
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships (in-state students). Get your own estimate with Penn State's net price calculator ↗.
Admissions
| Acceptance rate | 61% |
|---|---|
| Average SAT | 1,337 |
| SAT reading (25th–75th percentile) | 620–700 |
| SAT math (25th–75th percentile) | 620–720 |
| ACT composite (25th–75th percentile) | 27–32 |
| Test scores | Considered but not required |
Graduation, earnings and debt
| Graduation rate | 85% |
|---|---|
| First-year retention | 93% |
| Median earnings 6 years after enrolling | $60,829 |
| Median earnings 10 years after enrolling | $71,762 |
| Rank in Pennsylvania (earnings) | 43rd of 113 similar colleges |
| Median debt of graduates | $24,500 |
| Typical monthly loan payment | $278 (10-year plan) |
| Students with Pell grants | 16% |
| Students with federal loans | 42% |
Majors and programs at Penn State
Earnings one year after graduation and median debt, by program. Click a program for details and comparisons.
Bachelor's degree programs (135)
Certificate programs (55)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 10 | $95,718 | $18,750 |
| Engineering | 2 | $74,477 | — |
| Real Estate | 215 | $74,053 | $22,247 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 346 | $72,546 | $26,000 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | 6 | $65,324 | $26,000 |
| Plant Sciences | 1 | $62,775 | — |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other | 470 | $61,875 | $21,000 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 43 | $60,044 | $23,750 |
| Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants | — | $59,098 | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 16 | $53,216 | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | — | $52,980 | $26,945 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 62 | $51,779 | $21,500 |
| Journalism | 130 | $42,179 | $25,125 |
| Geography and Cartography | 47 | $38,806 | — |
| Accounting and Related Services | — | — | — |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 4 | — | — |
| Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services | — | — | — |
| Area Studies | 1 | — | — |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology | 3 | — | — |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | 3 | — | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 3 | — | — |
| Business/Commerce | 3 | — | — |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | 2 | — | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 18 | — | $27,000 |
| Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians | — | — | — |
| Education, Other | 54 | — | — |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 2 | — | — |
| Engineering-Related Fields | 9 | — | — |
| Engineering, Other | 17 | — | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 1 | — | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | — | — | — |
| Geography and Environmental Studies | 67 | — | $19,500 |
| Health-Related Knowledge and Skills | — | — | — |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs | 1 | — | — |
| History | — | — | — |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 4 | — | — |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 1 | — | — |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | — | — | — |
| Information Science/Studies | — | — | — |
| Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies | 5 | — | — |
| International/Globalization Studies | 5 | — | — |
| Interpersonal and Social Skills | — | — | — |
| Leisure and Recreational Activities | — | — | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | — | — | — |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | — | — | — |
| Natural Resources and Conservation, Other | 6 | — | — |
| Non-Professional Legal Studies | 2 | — | — |
| Psychology | — | — | — |
| Psychology, Other | — | — | — |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | — | — | — |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | — | — | — |
| Religion/Religious Studies | 14 | — | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | — | — | — |
| Security Science and Technology | 2 | — | — |
| Sociology | — | — | $20,500 |
Associate's degree programs (18)
Post-baccalaureate certificate programs (47)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | — | $134,369 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | — | $129,844 | $24,000 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | — | $129,315 | $25,437 |
| Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other | — | $115,795 | — |
| Information Science/Studies | — | $114,402 | — |
| Business/Commerce | — | $100,934 | — |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | — | $90,275 | — |
| Accounting and Related Services | — | — | — |
| Applied Mathematics | — | — | — |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology | — | — | — |
| Basic Skills and Developmental/Remedial Education | — | — | — |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other | — | — | — |
| Computational Science | — | — | — |
| Computer Engineering | — | — | — |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | — | — | — |
| Data Analytics | — | — | — |
| Education | — | — | — |
| Education, Other | — | — | — |
| Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | — | — | — |
| Educational/Instructional Media Design | — | — | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | — | — | — |
| Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians | — | — | — |
| Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians | — | — | — |
| Engineering, Other | — | — | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | — | — | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | — | — | — |
| Food Science and Technology | — | — | — |
| Geography and Cartography | — | — | — |
| Homeland Security | — | — | — |
| Human Resources Management and Services | — | — | — |
| Industrial Engineering | — | — | — |
| Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies | — | — | — |
| International/Globalization Studies | — | — | — |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | — | — | — |
| Marketing | — | — | — |
| Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies | — | — | — |
| Natural Resources and Conservation, Other | — | — | — |
| Public Administration | — | — | — |
| Public Health | — | — | — |
| Real Estate | — | — | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | — | — | — |
| Special Education and Teaching | — | — | — |
| Statistics | — | — | — |
| Sustainability Studies | — | — | — |
| Taxation | — | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | — | — | — |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | — | — | — |
Master's degree programs (118)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | — | $138,103 | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 41 | $133,941 | — |
| Computer Engineering | — | $131,945 | $35,500 |
| Information Science/Studies | 1 | $129,630 | $41,000 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 54 | $122,042 | $44,875 |
| Computational Science | — | $120,316 | $26,776 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 24 | $119,536 | $36,202 |
| Manufacturing Engineering | 7 | $118,435 | — |
| Statistics | 21 | $117,206 | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 372 | $116,437 | $28,431 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 73 | $114,915 | — |
| Systems Engineering | — | $112,580 | $38,146 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 110 | $111,392 | — |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 59 | $111,020 | $107,823 |
| Psychology, Other | — | $107,800 | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 57 | $107,187 | $41,000 |
| Physics | 23 | $106,704 | — |
| Applied Mathematics | 71 | $102,245 | $35,625 |
| Engineering, Other | 39 | $95,734 | $40,650 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 45 | $92,380 | $41,000 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 51 | $92,359 | — |
| Marketing | — | $91,554 | $33,000 |
| Homeland Security | — | $84,946 | $39,600 |
| Architectural Engineering | 135 | $84,576 | — |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | — | $83,910 | — |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 33 | $81,337 | $48,158 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 277 | $81,321 | $20,500 |
| Community Organization and Advocacy | — | $80,894 | — |
| Educational/Instructional Media Design | 2 | $80,769 | — |
| Geography and Cartography | — | $79,400 | $36,671 |
| Public Administration | — | $74,027 | $44,375 |
| International/Globalization Studies | 130 | $71,600 | $41,000 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 1 | $69,658 | — |
| Public Health | 78 | $62,094 | $20,500 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 12 | $61,781 | — |
| Special Education and Teaching | 44 | $60,560 | $35,499 |
| Nutrition Sciences | 5 | $60,104 | — |
| Curriculum and Instruction | 38 | $59,068 | $31,500 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 55 | $58,726 | $41,000 |
| Public Policy Analysis | 46 | $58,138 | — |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 19 | $57,192 | $35,314 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | — | $47,359 | $30,750 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | 19 | $46,486 | $51,162 |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | 49 | $44,164 | — |
| Music | 42 | $32,151 | — |
| Agricultural Engineering | 12 | — | — |
| Agricultural Public Services | 5 | — | — |
| Animal Sciences | 11 | — | — |
| Anthropology | 10 | — | — |
| Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services | — | — | — |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | 18 | — | — |
| Architecture | 10 | — | — |
| Area Studies | — | — | — |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics | 13 | — | — |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology | 34 | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 6 | — | — |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | 11 | — | — |
| Biology | 7 | — | — |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | 3 | — | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 28 | — | — |
| Biotechnology | 27 | — | — |
| Botany/Plant Biology | 5 | — | — |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | 2 | — | — |
| Chemical Engineering | 18 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 9 | — | — |
| Civil Engineering | 32 | — | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 12 | — | — |
| Computer Science | 126 | — | — |
| Criminology | 7 | — | — |
| Demography | — | — | — |
| Design and Applied Arts | — | — | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 10 | — | — |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 14 | — | — |
| Economics | 25 | — | — |
| Engineering Science | 21 | — | — |
| English Language and Literature | 35 | — | — |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | 6 | — | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 24 | — | — |
| Food Science and Technology | 14 | — | — |
| Forestry | 5 | — | — |
| Geography and Environmental Studies | 14 | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 17 | — | — |
| History | 5 | — | — |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 19 | — | — |
| Industrial Engineering | 68 | — | — |
| International and Comparative Education | — | — | — |
| Landscape Architecture | 11 | — | — |
| Legal Professions and Studies, Other | 2 | — | — |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | 312 | — | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | — | — | — |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 7 | — | — |
| Materials Engineering | 34 | — | — |
| Mathematics | 7 | — | — |
| Nanotechnology | 5 | — | — |
| Natural Resources and Conservation, Other | 6 | — | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | — | — | — |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 6 | — | — |
| Nuclear Engineering | 8 | — | — |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management | 5 | — | — |
| Petroleum Engineering | 4 | — | — |
| Philosophy | 6 | — | — |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | 3 | — | — |
| Plant Sciences | 13 | — | — |
| Political Science and Government | 14 | — | — |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 44 | — | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 12 | — | — |
| Security Science and Technology | 12 | — | — |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 1 | — | — |
| Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education | 5 | — | — |
| Social Sciences | — | — | — |
| Social Sciences, Other | 7 | — | — |
| Sociology | 11 | — | — |
| Soil Sciences | 1 | — | — |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 9 | — | — |
| Sustainability Studies | 7 | — | — |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | 9 | — | — |
| Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences | 4 | — | — |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | 15 | — | — |
Doctoral degree programs (89)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Materials Engineering | 51 | $121,313 | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 4 | $114,544 | — |
| Chemistry | 61 | $107,736 | — |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 52 | $81,836 | — |
| Biology | 44 | $78,257 | — |
| Curriculum and Instruction | 30 | $69,534 | — |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 16 | — | — |
| Agricultural Engineering | 8 | — | — |
| Agricultural Public Services | 5 | — | — |
| Animal Sciences | 5 | — | — |
| Anthropology | 3 | — | — |
| Architectural Engineering | 19 | — | — |
| Architecture | 9 | — | — |
| Area Studies | — | — | — |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics | 18 | — | — |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology | 13 | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 19 | — | — |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | 20 | — | — |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | 13 | — | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 25 | — | — |
| Botany/Plant Biology | 8 | — | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 22 | — | — |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | 10 | — | — |
| Chemical Engineering | 38 | — | — |
| Civil Engineering | 26 | — | — |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | 12 | — | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 36 | — | — |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 9 | — | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 22 | — | — |
| Computer Science | 34 | — | — |
| Criminology | 11 | — | — |
| Demography | — | — | — |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 18 | — | — |
| Economics | 30 | — | — |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 14 | — | — |
| Educational/Instructional Media Design | 9 | — | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 58 | — | — |
| Engineering Science | 20 | — | — |
| Engineering, Other | 12 | — | — |
| English Language and Literature | 20 | — | — |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | 5 | — | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | — | — | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 3 | — | — |
| Food Science and Technology | 9 | — | — |
| Forestry | 2 | — | — |
| Geography and Cartography | — | — | — |
| Geography and Environmental Studies | 12 | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 19 | — | — |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 9 | — | — |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 5 | — | — |
| History | 12 | — | — |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 8 | — | — |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 20 | — | — |
| Industrial Engineering | 32 | — | — |
| Information Science/Studies | 23 | — | — |
| International and Comparative Education | — | — | — |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | 4 | — | — |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 18 | — | — |
| Mathematics | 23 | — | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 55 | — | — |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | — | — | — |
| Music | 6 | — | — |
| Natural Resources and Conservation, Other | 1 | — | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | — | — | — |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 12 | — | — |
| Nuclear Engineering | 18 | — | — |
| Nutrition Sciences | 10 | — | — |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management | 3 | — | — |
| Petroleum Engineering | 12 | — | — |
| Philosophy | 8 | — | — |
| Physics | 48 | — | — |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | 13 | — | — |
| Plant Sciences | 12 | — | — |
| Political Science and Government | 18 | — | — |
| Public Administration | — | — | — |
| Public Health | 12 | — | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 19 | — | — |
| Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education | 8 | — | — |
| Social Sciences, Other | 9 | — | — |
| Sociology | 15 | — | — |
| Soil Sciences | 6 | — | — |
| Special Education and Teaching | 6 | — | — |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 13 | — | — |
| Statistics | 29 | — | — |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | 15 | — | — |
| Sustainability Studies | 5 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 8 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 37 | — | — |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | 18 | — | — |
Professional degree programs (4)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law | 418 | $73,461 | $65,500 |
| Medicine | 285 | $66,744 | $203,207 |
| Legal Professions and Studies, Other | — | — | — |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | — | — | — |
Graduate certificate programs (26)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geography and Cartography | 3 | $72,514 | $20,500 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 8 | — | — |
| Applied Mathematics | 1 | — | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 35 | — | — |
| Business/Commerce | 4 | — | — |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 11 | — | — |
| Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | 3 | — | — |
| Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians | — | — | — |
| Engineering, Other | 1 | — | — |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | 4 | — | — |
| Homeland Security | 1 | — | — |
| Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other | 8 | — | — |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 4 | — | — |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | 1 | — | — |
| International/Globalization Studies | 7 | — | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 24 | — | — |
| Marketing | 3 | — | — |
| Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies | 11 | — | — |
| Public Administration | — | — | — |
| Public Health | 7 | — | — |
| Real Estate | 6 | — | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 3 | — | — |
| Special Education and Teaching | 1 | — | — |
| Statistics | 3 | — | — |
| Sustainability Studies | 1 | — | — |
| Taxation | — | — | — |
Similar colleges in Pennsylvania
| College | City | Net price / yr | Acceptance | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temple University | Philadelphia | $23,058 | 80% | $71,027 |
| University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | Pittsburgh | $29,362 | 58% | $73,113 |
| West Chester University of Pennsylvania | West Chester | $24,778 | 78% | $66,629 |
| Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania | Bloomsburg | $17,468 | 93% | $56,416 |
| Pennsylvania Western University | California | $17,839 | 94% | $51,161 |
| Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | Slippery Rock | $19,972 | 71% | $57,995 |
| Indiana University of Pennsylvania | Indiana | $17,391 | 91% | $57,182 |
| Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | Kutztown | $22,146 | 91% | $57,647 |
About Penn State
| Type | Public four-year university |
|---|---|
| Location | University Park, PA |
| Setting | Small city |
| Undergraduates | 42,284 |
| Student-to-faculty ratio | 16 to 1 |
| Accreditor | Middle States Commission on Higher Education |
| Website | psu.edu ↗ |
Frequently asked questions
What is Penn State's acceptance rate?
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus admits 61% of applicants. Admitted students average 1,337 on the SAT.
How much does Penn State cost per year?
The full cost of attendance is $41,003 a year (tuition and fees: $21,098 in-state, $43,490 out-of-state). After grants and scholarships the average student pays $33,675 a year, and students from families earning under $30,000 pay about $22,193.
How much do Penn State graduates earn?
Former students earn a median of $71,762 a year, 10 years after first enrolling — 43rd of 113 similar colleges in Pennsylvania. The best-paid bachelor's program is computer engineering ($85,528 a year after graduation).
What is Penn State's graduation rate?
85% of full-time students graduate within six years, and 93% of first-year students return for a second year.